Pure Boston Beastly
by PJ-Kinney
Summary: Jane Rizzoli had an energy that Maura Isles couldn't place. From Maura's first day as the new ME something wild about her alternately drew Maura in and made her wary. All Maura wanted was to settle into the job she'd dreamed of having for years but something about Jane made everything more complicated. Complicated and possibly dangerous. Based on the Garoul series By Gill McKnight
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just a fan**

**A/N: Hey everyone, this is an idea that was inspired by reading the Garoul series by Gill McKnight and if you've read them you'll have some sense of what this story will be like. If you haven't read them, then get on it! I'm kind of still figuring out exactly where this is going so please be patient with me. Also this is the first story I've written in a couple of years so I might be a little rusty. It's rated T for now but that almost certainly will change at some point.**

* * *

"Johnny Burton you are under arrest in connection with the murder of Caroline Ennis and under suspicion of tampering with evidence." Frost called out firmly.

Burton was caught flat footed, carrying a handful of hardware for some part of the building he was employed in the construction of. All around other workers stopped their labors to stare at the scene unfolding, three homicide detectives and two officers in uniform accosting Burton.

Burton wasn't smart Jane realized, but he was decisive. He threw the lag bolts at them and ran for an exit, leaping over piles of lumber. Frost barely dodged the projectiles while Jane easily side stepped them, taking off after Burton in a flash. The uniformed officers and Frost were right behind. With other workers all around, firing on Burton was too risky. Chasing him was the only option.

Korsak merely watched them go but shouted at their backs, "Don't bother guys! Jane'll get him. She always gets them." Korsak turned and walked back towards where his car was parked, pulling out his radio as he went. "Be advised, we have the suspect in custody. He has possible broken bones, have the medics on standby. Over" "At least, he will when Jane gets done with him." he chuckled.

"Crap!" Jane snarled. Banging up against a door Burton had blocked from the other side. "You guys go that way, and I'll try this way!" she shouted.

"By yourself?" Frost replied. "Jane take Johnson with you!"

Jane shouted over her shoulder, already running off, "He'll slow me down!"

"Damn it! Come on guys" Frost said, heading the other direction.

Jane loved it when they ran. She almost lived for it. She loved being a cop, protecting people, punishing the wicked. But still, most of the job was puzzles to solve and paperwork to fill out. Boring stuff. Tedious! When they ran though, she could chase them. She could hunt. The hunt was what made her feel complete. All her senses heightened, blood coursing through her veins like a raging river. Her muscles vibrating with power. She had his scent. She knew the tricks. There was no escape from her now.

She burst through the doors into an unoccupied part of the job site. The sound of Burton's footsteps was gone. She knew he couldn't be out of earshot yet. Not her ears anyway. He was hiding. Jane grinned wolfishly, _Nice try_. She thought.

She inhaled deeply, turning a few times and then smiled when she smelled what she was after. She had his scent leading her towards him as clearly as a glowing trail. Now she moved silently, smoothly. The only sounds were Frost, shouting for her from somewhere back behind, asking her location and a makeshift door rattling in the breeze on the far side of the building. Jane ignored them both, focusing instead on the stacks of insulation bundles to one side.

As she got closer she stench of his sweat became almost overwhelming to Jane's powerful nose. Even without it she could now easily hear his ragged breaths which he vainly tried to muffle. She could taste his fear on her tongue. Stopping beside the stacks she said in a low vicious tone "It's already hot, I can't imagine what it's like in the middle of all that stuff."

Realizing suddenly that he was found, Burton clawed out of the insulation, madly running for the door. Jane watched for a moment, allowing him twenty feet of head start. Deciding it was time to wrap this farce up she closed the distance on Burton in a split second, letting out a growl from deep in her chest. She slammed into him sending him hard into the floor. He let out a sharp scream and lay there moaning.

Jane stooped and grabbed him by his shirt, wrenching him up and slamming him into the wall. He screamed again "My arm! You broke my arm, you bitch!" his left arm bent and hanging awkwardly.

Her face sharpening almost imperceptibly, eyes flecked with amber, Jane snarled, "You murdered Caroline Ennis and assaulted a Police Officer, Your arm is the least of your worries!" Burton paled as the blood drained from his face, cowering from the power radiating off of her.

"What are you?!" he whimpered.

"I'm a Rizzoli." she growled.

She heard Frost shouting again, closer now and called back to him "Over here."

When frost and the two uniformed Officers reached her, panting hard and sweating, she had Burton in cuffs and was pushing him ahead of her while he continued to moan and quietly curse.

"Jeez Frost, what took you so long?" Jane laughed.

Frost wheezed, "Someday I'm going to catch one, *wheeze* before you do." He sucked hard for air.

Cocking her head with a smirk Jane teased "Yeah, I won't _hold my breath_ on that." "Come on dumb ass." she barked at Burton, strong arming him toward the parking lot and the waiting ambulance. Frost still wheezing and muttering behind her.

Korsak leaned on the hood of his car, sipping coffee and munching a doughnut. "Have a good run?" he asked Frost who made a show of ignoring him.

* * *

Back at the station it was lunch time. Jane was still buzzing with the after glow of bringing a suspect down. She sat at her desk finishing her second quarter pound burger, rumbling happily. She was the best. She'd proved it yet again. Anyone who didn't know it would learn. Anyone stupid enough to challenge her would learn too. In an especially rough manner. She replayed her take-down of Burton. She only wished people had been around to witness it. She wanted to humiliate him even more than he had been. She replayed her take-down several more times, still getting pleasure from it. Knowing she was annoying Frost with her self satisfied demeanor.

She was unwrapping her third burger when Cavanaugh interrupted everyone's lunch with an announcement. "Can I get everyone's attention over here please?" he said. "We have a new member of the department joining us today. With Ryerson's retirement official, I want to welcome our new Chief Medical Examiner, Dr Maura Isles." he gestured toward the blonde woman beside him.

A chorus of welcomes and polite applause broke out and several detectives stood and introduced themselves to her. Jane didn't bother. She didn't even stop eating or change her posture, just appraised the new ME out of the side of her eyes.

_Nice legs. _was her first thought, running her eyes up the tan, smooth calves and thighs until they disappeared under an expensive looking violet skirt. _Nice everything actually._ she continued. _She better be easy to work with. It took a solid year to get Ryerson trained. _Jane grunted and rolled her eyes, thoughts drifting to the many annoyances of her time working with the old ME.

Jane became aware of a subtle, sweet fragrance combining lavender, vanilla and something she couldn't place and then a cool, controlled voice asked "Detective Rizzoli?"

Jane looked up to see the new woman standing by her desk, holding out her hand. "It's a great pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about Detective Rizzoli and her amazing arrest record in the news the last few years."

Jane's dark, brown eyes met light hazel ones and she stood quickly, taking the offered hand. "The pleasure is mine." she smiled. She couldn't stop staring at those eyes. Eyes which widened as Jane rose to her full height. They made her feel... something. Some pull at her that Jane couldn't place.

Whatever it was, Jane took an instant liking to this woman. Turning on the charm she smiled crookedly and said "Maura, that's a nice name. You don't meet a Maura every day."

The ME seemed overwhelmed somehow. Like the shear presence Jane exuded had put her off kilter.

She opened and closed her mouth, continuing to stare and then spoke so fast Jane had trouble keeping up "Well the name Maura has gone down in popularity steadily since I was born and now is only the 924th most popular name for girls, so statistically speaking your chances of meeting a woman or girl named Maura on any given day are not very good."

Jane blinked at her, at a loss for words. She glanced at Frost, watching the whole scene unfold from his desk and he shrugged at her.

Maura was continuing though, still talking fast "Your zygomatic and mandibular bones are amazingly well pronounced. Is that common in your family?"

"Pardon?" Jane asked. "My what bones?"

"Zygomatic and mandibular." Maura said. "Your cheekbones and your jaw."

"Oh, um, yeah. I guess." Jane said, feeling more and more off kilter herself.

"Well, actually not in my brothers." she amended. "It goes back in my family line, but sometimes it skips people. I got it, but my brothers didn't." she mumbled.

"Well it is incredible." Maura said. "You have exquisite long bones." running her eyes down Jane's body.

Jane felt that _thing_ again, even stronger. Pulling her eyes away from the blonde, Jane saw Frost looking uncomfortable and Korsak looking amused. Maura too, looked at Korsak and Frost and seemed embarrassed, blushing faintly.

The moment was broken as Cavanaugh came over. "Dr Isles? This is Susie Chang, one of our criminalists. She'll take you down to the morgue and show you around."

Maura and Susie shook hands, smiling and Maura looked around the room and said "Thank you everyone, for the warm welcome. I look forward to working with you all." glancing at Jane as she said the last part.

Jane watched her leave as Korsak came over. "what a beautiful woman the new Doc is." he mused. "You and she seemed to hit it off pretty well." He smiled at her, a look in his eye that Jane knew as either his "I've figured it out" look, or his "I have another clue look". Jane was very familiar with them both whether it was from cracking a case or solving a crossword, but she wasn't sure which one this was yet.

"Yup." was all Jane offered in reply. Then "Well now that that's over I can finish my lunch!" Pointedly ignoring any further attempts at conversation.

Korsak rolled his eyes and returned to his desk, leaving Frost typing away on a report and Jane eating the rest of her burger. She idly stared at the hand that had held Maura's and brought it to her nose, taking in more of the lovely scent. She rumbled happily again. Frost, well accustomed of the noises she made, barely noticed.

* * *

Maura arranged the few pictures and books she'd brought with her on her first day on the shelves and tables around her new office. She loved making spaces comfortable in just the right way and was pleased with the early results, although she had many more books to come as well as artifacts and art from around the world. She found she had trouble focusing though. She kept seeing dark brown eyes and wild black hair. She couldn't help wondering what that hair would feel like in her hands. Pulling through her fingers.

_Oh for goodness sake, Maura! _She thought. _It's my first day on the job. A job I've been wanting for years. I can't be distracting myself with thoughts of intriguing women when I have so many new responsibilities to learn! Besides, she's a new **co-worker**, how silly would I be to start something here when I'm just finding my feet?_

Still, she couldn't deny the attraction she'd felt. It was so intense and so sudden! Maura had never felt anything like it. Not with any previous lover, even the ones she'd cared deeply for. Jane Rizzoli was different some how. Energy came off of her. Some kind Maura couldn't quite place. Animalistic she might say. Jane Rizzoli was like a predator. She'd seen it in the news photos of Jane leading suspects away in cuffs. Dominant and in complete control. The photos didn't do her justice though. Not after actually meeting her. But that still didn't fit right. Jane, for all her tallness and strong posture, dark eyes, wild hair and positively ridiculous cheekbones, had charm and kindness. Her eyes were kind, Maura realized. Behind the predator.

This was disturbing to her. The impression she liked to give off was one of calm, confidence and exceptional ability. People who didn't know her well called her cliched things like "Ice Queen" and people who did called her things like "Walking Encyclopedia". Maura didn't care what people called her behind her back for the most part, as long as they respected her ability to do her job and do it better than almost anyone. But after her reaction when meeting Jane Rizzoli, she was sure the impression she'd given to the detectives was not what she'd hoped for her first day.

Shaking herself out of her musings, Maura resolved to get back to decorating her office and let this _thing_ with Jane Rizzoli sort itself out another time. She couldn't lie to herself that there wouldn't be another time though. Something was there. And it would have to be faced eventually.

* * *

It had been hot all week. Very hot for this early in the summer. Even with nightfall it barely let up and muggy oppressive heat hung over Boston.

Jane was restless, sitting on her couch with a beer trying to be interested in the game she'd tivoed. Her air conditioning was woefully inadequate and besides that, the days events, hunting down Burton and meeting the new ME, left her with a low grade buzz that the heat was exacerbating.

Maura's eyes kept popping into her head as did her scent. Unconsciously, she growled softly. The feeling of tracking Burton made her flush with blood again and again as it came back to her. Suddenly it was all too much. She needed a night out. She had to work this energy out. Her pelt felt tight and strained to be let free.

Grabbing her keys she was out the door. Heading to one of her favorite spots for nights like this. A large park in a quiet, older part of Boston.

After leaving her car in the lot, she hit the joggers trail heading into the heart of the park, away from street lamps and buildings. Finding a spot in amongst tall oaks and a few hedges she stopped, scanning to see if she was visible to anyone. Satisfied that she wasn't, she stripped down and stashed her clothes well out of sight.

She was sweating and shaking from the strain of holding it in for so long and letting go was a relief. Her pelt surged to the surface. Her back arched, bones popping. Her face lengthening with the sound of cartilage tearing and stretching. Razor sharp teeth thrusting through her gums, filling her mouth with blood. Hands and feet lengthening, wickedly sharp talons ripping through her finger tips and toes. Eyes glowing amber, her black luxurious pelt shining under the starlight.

The pain of the change was excruciating as usual, and she roared out. But it was soon gone without a trace and replaced with relief. Finally, finally free she howled out her delight and slipped into the trees.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just a fan.**

**A/N: Wow, the response has blown me away! Thank you to everyone who left a review, favorited or followed! It really means so much to me and I hope I can keep pleasing you guys and make the story even better. This chapter ended up being less action than the last one and more character development. I think it works though. I will be referencing some things that happened in the show throughout this fic, but this is very AU so don't expect them to work the way they did on TV.**

"I've known her for almost eight years now. From a rookie in blues to the day she made Detective as the youngest ever to do it and still there are a lot of things about her I don't get." Korsak leaned against a cabinet to one side of Maura's examination room nursing a paper cup of coffee and chatting away while she autopsied a middle-aged female gunshot victim and they waited for toxicology reports to arrive in a case he was investigating.

Barely three weeks had passed since she'd started full time and already Maura was feeling more comfortable in this job than in any she'd ever had. It was so unexpected. She had thought it would be like any of the previous positions she'd held. Quiet, calm and intellectual, but isolated from co-workers. Her space and their space overlapping only when absolutely necessary. People didn't actually want to spend time with her did they? But here she was always being visited, people hanging around, interested in her. Sgt Korsak, Det Frost seemingly liking her. But most importantly, Jane. Yes Jane, "Detective Rizzoli" was dispensed with in the first two days, it was just Jane now.

Jane set the tone, hanging around the morgue when she didn't have anything else to do, listening to Maura explain and expound on everything from chemistry to anthropology to fashion, art and culture. And Korsak and Frost followed her lead. Sure Jane laughed about a lot of it, mocked it even, but she was obviously fascinated by it too. And by Maura too? Maura wasn't sure. This was new to her. She loved whatever it was though and started finding ways to be with Jane more.

After the hanging around the morgue and Maura's office phase got comfortable for them both, they started getting a drink together after work, which turned into dinners and out of the conversations in those other ways to spend time together naturally followed. Maura proposed taking a morning jogs and Jane agreed after some grumping about getting up any earlier than she already had to. Next Maura attempted to get Jane to join her for yoga, though she'd only succeeded once so far. For someone with as amazing a body as Jane had, her daily routine was atrocious. She never willingly went to the gym and her diet! Maura was appalled when first dining with Jane to see her eat most of the plate of appetizers followed by the largest steak on the menu, extremely rare Maura noted, and a large dessert.

She wasn't sure what to make of a lot of things about Jane. Jane's sense of humor was proving to be a challenge for one thing. Try as she might, Maura couldn't easily grasp the near constant sarcasm Jane approached the world with. Then there was how someone so competent and in control as Jane was at her job, could have such a childish streak. No, childish wasn't right, _childlike_ was more like it. There was a strange naivety to her. Maura's attempts at conversation about romance and dating were mostly met with a blankness on Jane's part and Maura got the feeling that it was very out of her depth much as if Maura was talking about the latest research in genetics. But how could someone so attractive, strong and successful know nothing about dating? Maura was the one raised by parents who were never there. And her intelligence often put off potential romantic partners. She would have been willing to wager that her handicaps were greater when it came to romance, so what was Jane's problem?

Maura was happy to have a chance to get insight from Korsak about her and that led them to the current subject.

" What specifically do you not understand Sgt?" Maura asked continuing her examination.

"Oh, lots of little things that add up after awhile." he said.

"She's great police, smart, tenacious, reads perps like a book. But she also does stuff I've never seen anyone do. She chases down runners like nobody's business. But I still don't know how she does it. She sees which way they've gone when the rest of us have lost them. Like she can read their minds or something."

Maura glanced up at this. "The ability to read minds has never been proven in any serious peer reviewed study Sgt."

Korsak chuckled, "I know that Doc, I said it was weird."

"What else, besides her remarkable tracking skills?"

"she eats like a horse. I never known anyone who can put it away like she can."

"I've noticed her peculiar nutritional intake." Maura agreed. "I've been trying to to get her to eat more greens, but leaving her aversion to them aside, I feel her metabolism must be exceptional for her to be able to so many steaks or and burgers at dinner and remain so lean."

"I'm jealous, I admit it." Korsak laughed.

"Me too." Maura agreed, smiling.

Korsak counted off his fingers, "She's hyper competitive whenever she feels challenged, but she's so sweet to anyone vulnerable." Maura smiled again at this, having witnessed Jane's nurturing side when a girl with a parent involved in a homicide had been crying in the cafe upstairs and Jane had done everything she could to try to comfort her. It was a side she felt Jane was self conscious about though.

Korsak continued, "She smells things a lot."

Maura interrupted, "Smells things?"

"You know, sniffs stuff. Hairbrushes and coat sleeves other weird stuff,"

Maura wasn't sure what to say to that other than to guess "She has an olfactory fixation maybe?"

"Maybe." Korsak shrugged. "She growls a lot. Just generally, but also at perps sometimes. Scares 'em really bad." He laughed again. "And she's never happier than when she takes someone down."

"She enjoys acts of violence?" Maura asked startled.

"Well, yeah kind of I suppose. But Doc, she's not a head-buster type, believe me. I've known some cops who were the biggest hard-on assh..., I mean," he caught himself, "A-holes you can imagine. Guys who got off on power and pushing people around. And Jane's not one of them. She never abuses her authority and she's never a thug. It's just that when a perp runs or a banger attacks, she takes great pleasure in educating them about the mistake they made doing it on her watch."

"And she always succeeds in her efforts to_ educate _them?" Maura asked.

"Boy does she ever! She broke Little Dickie McEllory's arm in two places once! No one could believe it. He charged at her saying nasty stuff and she just took him down."

"She broke a small man's arm in two places and that was impressive to you?" Maura was incredulous.

"No, Doc, you got it wrong. Little Dickie was his nickname. He was actually six foot five and all muscle. He was one of the top south-side enforcers a few years ago. Real bastard."

"Then why was his nickname Little?" Maura was confused, although nothing about men who lived that lifestyle made mush sense to her.

"I'm not sure really. It's like a joke or something. You call big guys little and little guys big." He explained. "Never really thought about it." Maura was still puzzled and Korsak seemed uncomfortable with her confusion.

Maura wondered what she was missing about the nuances of southie gangster culture, but the moment was broken by a lab tech entering with the tox report Korsak had been awaiting.

"Very interesting." Maura mused reading carefully.

"What's it say Doc?" Korsak peered over her shoulder.

"It was poison. Nerium to be exact. Not a very common way to poison someone."

"Nerium?" Korsak asked. "What's that?"

"Nerium Oleander or shortened to simply Oleander which is the common name for it."

"Oleander?! The flowery bushes?"

"Yes. It's quite a common flowering shrub, but many people don't realize how poisonous it is however. The poison is a cardiac stimulator, causing sweating, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, unconsciousness, respiratory paralysis, and death. It begins reacting almost immediately upon ingestion."

"Wow, that would do it. Well, Jane called it. She looked the body over for a minute and said he'd been poisoned and she was right once again. That's another thing she does." He rolled his eyes. "I better get back up there. This has been nice Doc." Korsak smiled and started for the door.

"Before you go Sgt, one other question I had about Jane."

He turned, "Sure, what is it?"

"Has Jane ever been romantically involved with anyone that you're aware of? Any Boyfriends?" Korsak Shook his head. "Girlfriends?" Maura ventured.

"That was something I find odd about her and I would've brought it up." he said. "She's never been with anyone since I've known her. From what I've seen, you were in the right ballpark when you said girlfriends, but she's never had one that I've ever heard of."

"You think she likes women?" Maura pressed, somehow more eager now that the possibility of Jane dating women was in the open. _But why? Again, she's a co-worker. And now she's also a friend. _She was wasn't she?Maura had had so few that she wasn't comfortable openly claiming that title with Jane.

"Well, I'll put it this way, she notices women. I've seen her appreciate a beautiful woman just like the rest of us Joes do. She doesn't notice men."

"Men must ask her out. She's a gorgeous successful woman." Maura felt herself blush as she spoke.

"Oh yeah, men try. It's hilarious!" Korsak grinned.

"In what way?" Maura was confused again.

" Well, the type of woman Jane is, normal guys don't ask her out. The only guys that ask a woman like her out are ballsy, achiever types who think they're God's gift to women. So when these walking egos ask her out and she looks at them with this look like she wants to scrape them off her shoe, I get a jolly out of it that lasts for a week!" he chortled. "I'm serious, you oughtta see it Doc!"

"Oh dear!" Maura moaned. "That's why my nice yoga instructor was cold with me yesterday. I pointed Jane out to him and told him she was single."

"You got Jane to go to yoga?!" Korsak was amazed. "She never works out. That's why how she eats is so crazy."

"Just the once so far." Maura said. "It was quite a job to get her to agree."

"And you had your instructor ask her out? Didn't you see her destroy him?"

"I was in the changing room when it happened. After I got out Jane didn't say anything at all about it and I didn't want to be so crude as to blatantly ask."

"Well hopefully it was just the stare through rather than the _Why is this talking pile of crap bothering me_ look."

"Stare through? Maura asked, hesitantly.

"Yeah, you know, she just looks right through them. It's still a massive blow to the ego, don't get me wrong, but not as bad as it could be."

"Well, I really need to get back upstairs Doc, but this was nice. Despite her differentness, Jane's my friend and she was my partner and I'm really glad you're here and that you two like each other. Taking her to yoga, trying to make her eat right, she needs that stuff. All she has is this job and occasional Sox games and yeah, she's tough, but it will still destroy her if she doesn't find something more." He looked at her searchingly for a moment. "I've already seen her open up more to you than to anyone else."

Korsak headed upstairs, leaving Maura to her thoughts. Well, she'd had an excellent conversation with Jane's friend and colleague of many years, but what good had it done? She had as many questions as when she'd started. More maybe. The one thing she knew now that she hadn't was that Jane probably did like women. But how was that supposed to make her feel? And if Jane liked them, why didn't she go after any of them. The Jane she was getting to know always went after what she wanted, so for her to be so repressed about this area felt very wrong to Maura.

Was it a case of extreme Catholic guilt? That didn't sit right, Maura had gotten to know Jane's mother Angela, seeing her every day at the cafe upstairs. Angela didn't seem like the kind to drown her children in dogma to the point that they'd lock away a major part of themselves. She was a loving woman who despite a few blind spots and irrational beliefs, only wanted her children to be happy. Maybe it was fear of the old boys club that was the BPD when Jane had started out? That didn't explain why she still continued to hide after success and security had found her.

Jane Rizzoli was still such a mystery, but she was also her friend, Maura felt surer of that now simply from talking about her. Still, there was so much to learn.

* * *

"Ma, I can take care of my own organizing!" Jane said grouchily.

It was a summery Saturday morning and Jane groggily watched Angela organizing her receipts drawer, having been woken much earlier than she wanted, as seemed to happen so often these days, by her mother coming to clean her apartment and most importantly, fuss over her.

"Ha, that's funny Jane." Angela said absentmindedly. "The day you get anything organized on your own is the day I can finally move to Florida. How does a person as messy as you ever solve cases, is what I want to know. You'll lose half your clues."

"Ha ha." Jane grunted. "I have a Frost to keep track of that stuff for me."

The coffee maker finished and Jane jumped up, desperate for something to help her head and wake her up. She groaned happily with the first sip causing Angela to appraise her carefully for the first time since she'd arrived.

"Why are you so tired Janie? Did you have a night out, last night?"

"No, I haven't for over a week. I just have been keeping odd hours lately. Getting up early to jog with Maura and stuff." she murmured into her cup.

"Well that's good. Maura is a great influence on you. I'm so happy Janie, that you finally have a friend outside of the department. I've been worrying about you for too long now."

"Maura's in the department too ma, and I'm 29 years old now. You can stop worrying about me anytime."

"No I can't. Not when you're so different. I ask myself every day, why can't Jane find a nice girl and settle down? Why can't Jane make friends? You never have understood how hard it was raising you being special like you are, without your father to help teach you and train you." Angela shook her head, looking very emotional Jane realized.

She set her cup down and went and rubbed her mom's shoulder. "It's been okay mom. You did good, and I had aunt Gianna and aunt Selena every summer. And all my cousins. It was great. I loved being there in the woods with them."

Angela was somewhat mollified, but continued her familiar topic of complaint. "Look at your brothers. Tommy has that nice girl from the DMV and Frankie sent me some pictures of this beautiful cadet at the Police Academy. They've been going steady for several weeks now. When are you going to find someone? If some woman took care of you maybe I wouldn't feel like I had to all the time."

Jane was struggling with getting annoyed, knowing it wouldn't help her mothers mood. "I keep saying, you don't have to. And again, it doesn't work for me like it does for other people. Frankie and Tommy got to be normal kids and do normal kid stuff like have girlfriends in high school. And besides, most the time I don't even think about it. And just what would you have me do? Go up to some girl and say, "Hey there, I'm Jane Rizzoli. Want to go out? I'm a member of the Rizzoli Wolven of New England. I'm just like you except every once in awhile I like to turn into a beast and eat a raw deer"?

"Don't be silly Jane." Angela sniffed. "Your father had the same problem, but we got through it."

"I'm just not ready to talk about this right now. Okay mom?" Jane retrieved her coffee. "Can we just have breakfast before you clean the rest of my crummy apartment?"

Angela started to answer, but Jane was distracted by her cell. Frost calling. Holding up a hand she answered it. "Rizzoli. What's up? Better be good Frost it's my off day."

"I know it is Jane. Sorry, but you better come check this one out. It has Korsak all wound up."

"What, why? What happened?" Jane knew something was wrong if Korsak was bothered. Hardly anything phased him anymore.

"Well it's a home invasion, homicide, the husband bound and gagged. The wife is missing. Korsak really thinks it's Hoyt Jane. He thinks he's finally stuck his head up again."

Jane was already grabbing her sidearm and badge. "Give me the address." Angela was protesting her sudden departure in the background.

Hoyt. She'd caught that bastard once and she'd catch him again. Do it rougher this time. Break something. Maybe make it so he would have a harder time escaping out of prison in the future. _When I send you to prison you damn well should stay there! _She growled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just a fan.**

**A/N: Once again, thank you so much for all the positive feedback. I'm extremely grateful for the reviews, favorites and follows! It's inspiring to know people enjoy what I'm doing. This chapter will have some darker subject matter, but we're still in T rated territory for now. This story will definitely be M at some point, just a heads up.**

_Come on. Come on! _Jane growled at the car in front of her when it was slow to notice the light change to green. Her eagerness to reach the crime scene making her even more impatient than she normally was, which was not an easy feat.

She'd raced around her apartment, throwing on the first pair of slacks she found, a blue button up and her jacket. Angela following her complaining about her sudden departure, missing breakfast, working too hard, the usual. Jane grimaced thinking about it. She loved her mom more than anything, but boy could she be taxing. Not having a girlfriend, Jane added to the list. Such a long list of things her mom wanted her to do differently.

Jane hadn't been lying when she said she didn't think about it often. Wolven were not usually promiscuous or sexual until they found a mate that suited them. She had felt the pull of attraction a few times in her life, well many times actually. She liked looking at beautiful women, but she never had felt the true call. She knew what that looked like and it just hadn't happened yet. And honestly, she was afraid of what would happen if she did. She had seen her aunts and uncles and knew that there were ways to deal with it, have a relationship with a human, but still Jane couldn't see herself dumping all this on some woman. Maybe her mate would be another wolven. That would be easier. Nothing was ever easy though was it?

Jane knew her mom only wanted her to be happy, but Angela still didn't understand even after 29 years what exactly life was for her. Maybe if her dad was alive he could have helped her mom to let go a little more. But he had died in an accident when Jane was 12, leaving her education in the ways of the wolven to his sister Gianna and her partner Selena. It hadn't been easy, not for a long time.

Summers were the best, staying in the clan homestead in a valley in the Berkshires. There, surrounded by her aunts, uncles and cousins, she learned to let her wolf free and also how to control it. She learned how to hunt as well. Aunt Gianna was Alpha of the pack and took special care with Jane after he died, seeing rightly that Jane was very angry, but also missing her brother and wanting to hold her niece close. But when she returned home in the fall, it was misery trying to fit in at school. She was the definition of a loner most of the time. She enjoyed sports, but other kids got tired of her winning at everything. Her restraint was still very tenuous too, causing her to injure a few other players. Angela did her best to help, but Jane couldn't lose the feeling in the back of her mind that this wasn't her real family. That she belonged in the woods. She felt too like her brothers resented her and her summer trips.

Eventually things got better. She learned to control her urges and Frankie and Tommy got older and were allowed to come with her in the summer. At first her brothers were awkward around their cousins, overwhelmed even. And sensing this, their cousins enjoyed teasing, pranking and even intimidating them. Snatching their comic books, outrunning them in the woods and leaving them scared of being lost.

The twins Tasha and Antonia were particularly rough about it and Jane felt more and more uneasy the meaner things got until one day when Tasha jumped out and frightened Tommy so badly that he fell and skinned his knee. Jane heard her brother crying and came running up to see him sitting on the ground while Tasha stood by looking unimpressed, posing for her sister and the other kids, acting like she was an alpha or something. Frankie was there too and knelt to comfort his brother looking defiantly up at Tasha.

A feeling of powerful protectiveness and anger came over Jane. These were her brothers! These were her family! Her real and most important family. Back home in Boston Jane was an outsider, but that didn't stop Frankie and Tommy from loving her and standing up for her at school. Involving her in pick-up baseball games. Kissing her before bed at night. She would never let anyone hurt her family!

Tasha started to turn back to the other kids with a little smirk when Jane pounced on her, knocking her down hard. Tasha was big, with dark olive skin like all Rizzolis and very fast. She wasn't as big or as fast as Jane though. She writhed around with Jane on top of her and they clawed and growled at each other, all the other kids looking on. For a moment, Tasha got the upper hand, getting on top of Jane and pulling her hair hard. Jane got her feet up though and kicked her back several feet until she smashed into a stump, the wind knocked out of her. Tasha held her ribs and cried while Jane loomed over her. Jane grabbed her shirt and yanked her up to look in her teary eyes.

"You leave my brothers alone, understand? They are Rizzolis too!" Jane snarled.

Tasha didn't answer immediately and Jane shook her. "Understand?!" she repeated.

Tasha nodded whimpering and Jane dropped her and went to her brothers. All the other kids backed up, looking at Jane deferentially. "Come on Tommy, we'll get a band aid on that and that you can have my share of tonight's dessert right now."

After that the pranking stopped and then the nicer kids started playing with Frankie and Tommy more, until eventually they were all friends. The following summers were much more fun all around. Even Tasha warmed up after another year or two.

* * *

Driving a touch faster than the law allowed, she let her thoughts come back to the important subject at hand. Hoyt. Finally.

How long had she been waiting for him to show up again? Could it really only be just under two years since he'd escaped prison after faking an illness and taking the ER doctors unawares? It felt like much longer to her, to her wolf. She'd been obsessed with finding him for a few months after that, but he'd succeeded in melting away and he'd done an excellent job of laying low. After two years of no sign from him, Jane would have bet that he had skipped the country and taken his evil to some other unfortunate place. Hiding, anywhere in America, but especially Boston seemed far too difficult and risky for an intelligent and cautious monster like Hoyt.

Besides her own desire to catch him again, Jane was anxious to get to the crime scene so that she could be there for Korsak. He hated Hoyt even more than she did, if that was possible and losing Hoyt a second time took a great toll on him.

Hoyt's brand of evil was painful to Korsak in a way Jane could only guess at. The horrors Hoyt subjected women to were something he greatly enjoyed to be certain, but in a way, they were just a side benefit of what he truly craved which was the psychological torment of their partners. Rendering someone helpless while he tortured what they loved most was his greatest pleasure. For some reason that tortured Korsak too. Jane had had hints that maybe he was reminded of someone he couldn't protect. Sometime back when he was younger. _Maybe that's why he became a cop. _she mused. He never would give a straight answer when asked about that.

The Saturday morning traffic being light, Jane made good time and arrived at the scene a half an hour after leaving her apartment. She had to park a ways down the street from the house because of all the squad cars as well as an ambulance and several other unmarked, but obviously official cars parked in front of the upscale, but not too rich house.

Jane sat a moment and took it all in. The scene before her clashed horribly with the clear, beautiful summer morning. Something else though teased around the edges, pricking the hairs at the nape of her neck. Something she couldn't place yet. Something was wrong.

She frowned, scanning the houses and lawns all around. Nothing was visibly out of place in this upper-class suburb, well other than the giant mass of police officers swarming the house ahead and the curious, anxious neighbors gathered watching. It was a quiet, well tended street with pretty houses and wading pools and kids toys on the lawns. She opened her door and hadn't taken two steps when it hit her, almost like a physical blow. She stopped and inhaled deeply. She could smell it now. _Wolven. A wolven has been here. _she growled. Not just a wolven though, but a wolven with it's blood up. A wolven ready to fight. Or kill. But she could also tell that Korsak was right too, Hoyt had been here as well. His scent was unmistakable. She hated that scent, it made her sick.

She smelled other wolven every once in awhile. In a city the size of Boston it was impossible not to. She recognized many of them, a few Rizzolis and clan kin and some others living away from their clan territory, but friendly none the less that she crossed paths with occasionally. This one was unfamiliar to her. A rogue maybe? Rogues were leaderless and often dangerous to normal people. Living without the clan discipline and training, not to mention a strong Alpha to keep them in line.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the various different smells, each in turn. It was almost impossible with so many vehicles and people around now to pick them out cleanly. She crouched and moved smoothly down the side walk away from the crime house. Hoyt had come this way, it was getting easier to separate his scent out now. Three blocks away from the house it ended and she could smell that a car with an engine problem causing it to burn oil had been there. Hoyt must have parked here and walked the rest of the way.

She headed back still smelling, trying to find where the wolven had come from. She couldn't do it. It was all too mixed together. Besides, the wolven could have come in human form and changed near the house. She had no way to know what the wolf smelled like normally. There were far too many people all over the lawn and neighbors everywhere else.

"Hey Jane!" Frost called from the door of the house. "You finally made it"

"I got here 20 minutes ago actually. I was looking at clues." Jane replied walking up the stoop. "So where are we? And where's Korsak? Is he doing okay?"

" He's still with the body in the living room." Frost gestured to the left. "He seems to be handling it alright, but I remember how he got last time. That look in his eyes. He has it again."

Jane nodded, heading for the living room. She knew that look too.

Jane took in the scene from the doorway. A large, comfortable space. A space to spend time with loved ones, but now a grotesque mockery. Now it was sad and violated. Korsak was over looking at the windows and Maura was examining the body of the husband, bound and gagged on the couch.

"Hey Maura, what does it look like?" Jane came around the couch, peering intently at the body.

"His throat was slit with something very sharp." Maura pointed. "Ligature marks and rigor mortis suggest he died around midnight last night."

"That's just like Hoyt." Jane nodded. Leaning to look at his neck she saw the expected taser marks as well. "Who found him?" she asked Frost.

"Cleaning lady." he replied. "She usually comes in the afternoon, but changed it to the morning today because of a doctor appointment."

Jane turned to face what she'd been avoiding, the chair in front of the couch where Hoyt's torture show took place. She hated the look of it, but she really hated the smell of it. A low growl rumbled in her chest, as she thought about how she could hurt him right back if she could just get her hands on him.

She realized Maura was next to her, was watching her. Had heard her.

"Are you alright Jane?" Maura asked, looking sympathetic but also curious. "I know you have some history with Charles Hoyt, as does SGT Korsak."

"It's just not easy, you know?" Jane answered. "It was hard enough the first time. You put a monster away, you want that to be the end of it."

Maura put her hand on Jane's arm. "I understand Jane. You can't feel any blame for this though. You did your job well. Incredibly well. And you'll do it again, I'm sure."

"Yeah." Jane agreed softly. Maura's hand felt so different on her. So comforting. Even here in the middle of this desecration of someones home, Maura's hand made it all fade to the background.

Then Jane remembered where she was and a surge of anger flashed through her. I_ should have broken his fucking neck when I had the chance! _she thought. She tensed and Maura pulled her hand away leaving Jane missing it immediately.

Korsak came over, looking at Jane expectantly. "So, any idea about where the wife is?"

Jane shook out of her reverie, focusing on the scene. She could smell the wife all over the house, that didn't lead her anywhere. So she smelled for Hoyt, or the wolf. In fact she smelled the wolf in this room more than she smelled Hoyt. There was no doubt, Hoyt and the wolven were in this together. Hoyt had a new apprentice.

Why a wolven though? Was this about her? Had Hoyt figured out what she was? She had been bleeding through her palms, in incredible pain when she caught him before, had she given away what she was somehow?

Latching on to the wolven as the strongest, most unique scent she started tracking. Maura looked on puzzled, while Korsak and Frost, very used to Jane seeing something they couldn't, followed along. Jane followed the scent out of the living room, though the kitchen and out the backdoor. Then across the lawn and into the trees behind the house.

Maura had trouble moving through the brush (her heels were very unpractical for hiking for goodness sake!) and called out, "Are you certain you're going the right way?"

"Yup." Jane called over her shoulder, not slowing at all.

Frost stopped to help her, holding a branch out of the way. "Maybe you should wait here." he said. "Until we actually find something, I mean."

"Got her!" Jane called out. "Over here!"

Maura and Frost hurried through the undergrowth until they came upon Jane and Korsak at the edge of a clearing, standing still and staring intently at the scene before them.

"Jesus!" Korsak spat out. "What did he do to her?!"

"It looks like a dog attacked her." Frost said, looking sick.

Maura carefully approached the body that had once been a beautiful woman, now ripped and torn and partially missing. "I'll need to take a lot of measurements before I can say, but if this was a dog, it was massive." she said examining the wounds.

"Maybe he killed her out here and a dog came along later and chewed up the corpse." Korsak suggested.

Jane knew what had really happened and not for the first time did she wish she could share what she knew, but instead she said, "Yeah, maybe so."

Jane turned to head back to the house, she needed to find something that Hoyt had left to track him by, when Maura called out, "Jane, you should see this."

Coming up beside her, Jane leaned down to look at what she was pointing to. The woman's stomach while bloody, was undamaged except for some lines, cut marks. Words. Jane growled viciously and loudly enough that Maura looked at her, startled.

Frost leaning against a tree, trying not to look at the corpse and not to puke asked, "What is it?"

Korsak leaned over to look and read out, "Two can play, Jane."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Once again thank you all so much for the great responses! I LOVE seeing reviews. It makes it all worth while and keeps me going! I'm going to be moving between Jane's and Maura's perspectives more often from here on out, but hopefully it will be intelligible. Hope you all like it. I'm really sorry this chapter took so long. My work has been crazy this week and I haven't been getting home until late. I want to aim for one update per week, life permitting.**

Jane paced around the spacious foyer as the lab techs and various police packed up to go. She'd covered the entire property several times trying to find anything she might track Hoyt or the wolven by, only to come up empty. Hoyt had left nothing. He'd simply returned the way he'd come and left in the worn down car. Which, if he was working with one of her kind now, he'd probably know to ditch somewhere and wipe out his scent trail. The wolven had seemingly resumed his human form before leaving. Whatever scent they left as a person was lost in the swarm of police and neighbors.

Maura watched Jane pace for several moments. She'd never seen Jane in such a state of agitation and anger. On her drive to the scene she'd wondered what Jane's reaction to the possibility of Hoyt's return would be. Would it be her usual eagerness to get on the case, or would she be upset at the return of the sociopath who's capture had made her famous for a time nationwide? She'd noticed the scars on Jane's hands not long after they'd become acquainted and she'd asked Jane about them over dinner just last week, when after a relaxing meal had eased the strain of a stressful day, their conversation had turned more personal.

Jane shrugged nonchalantly, "What about them? You saw the report in the papers didn't you? It hurt like hell at the time, but it felt so good to catch him that I didn't really care afterwards."

"Yes, but the papers were incomplete and full of conjecture Jane. You didn't say much at the time and a lot of what I read sounded like reporters enhancing the story to sell copy." Maura wanted Jane to let her in to her experiences more. For some reason it mattered that Jane trusted her enough to talk about this. "It must have been terrifying! I can't imagine being that close to a person like him and that vulnerable."

Jane hesitated, trying to find the right way to answer. "I wasn't really scared though." she said finally, lamely. "I was just mad at myself mostly. Letting him get the drop on me. I was young and stupid." she chuckled. "I wasn't in any real danger."

"How can you say that?!" Maura was startled and confused. "A sociopath murderer and rapist had you pinned with scalpels through your palms. That's what happened wasn't it?"

"Well it sounds bad when you say it like that." Jane deadpanned. " Look, he underestimated me, okay? He thought he was in charge and I was helpless, but I showed him what determination really is. I ripped off of those things and I beat him and that's what matters." Jane looked tense and somewhat uncomfortable now and Maura felt like she'd overstepped somehow.

So Maura changed the subject and Jane relaxed again, but it continued to bother her even now.

Maura came up beside Jane while she stared out the window at the lawn and surrounding houses absentmindedly and placed her hand on Jane's shoulder. "Are you heading back to the precinct soon?" she asked.

Jane came back to the present from wherever her thoughts had taken her and focused on Maura. " Yeah. I can't get anything else out of this place and it's making me sick." Her stomach punctuated her statement by growling and the fact that it was noon and she still hadn't had breakfast came back to her.

Maura heard it too and said "Did you have anything to eat yet today Jane?"

"Naw, I was in a hurry to get here. I barely got to have coffee before Frost called." she grimaced.

"You should keep power bars with you." Maura looked concerned, "A metabolism like yours, you could have dizziness or fainting spells if you skip meals."

"Thank you doctor." Jane said wryly. "I'll get something quick at the cafe, but I gotta hurry. Cavanaugh is going to give a press conference at 2 and he wants me there."

* * *

Maura joined Jane as she headed into the precinct and the walked together to the cafe. As they entered Jane saw her mom behind the counter serving customers.

"Ma, what are you doing here? It's your off day."

"Well it's your off day too Janie, when I saw on the news people saying that monster might be back I knew you weren't coming home anytime soon. I figured I could at least feed you if I was here. Hi Maura." Angela smiled at the ME and Maura returned the greeting.

"You just go sit Jane and I'll have food for you really quick. I know how you get when you skip breakfast. Are waffles good? And bacon of course, lots of bacon."

"Sounds good ma." Jane said appreciatively. "Lots of coffee too."

Maura ordered an egg white omelet and went to sit with Jane. Angela was as good as her word and soon a large stack of waffles and a heap of bacon was being quickly dealt with by Jane. The color returned to Jane and she smiled for the first time since Maura had seen her that day. It was such a gorgeous smile Maura thought. When Jane turned it on, her insides never failed to leap. This situation was getting more and more unacceptable. Maura need to figure out what she wanted or expected from Jane. Was it enough to be friends? Was losing Jane as a friend worth the risk of trying for more? And was there any chance Jane wanted more from her? Maura wasn't sure she could bare to lose What they had now. Something she'd never had before. A friend. A good friend. Even now, sitting and eating breakfast Maura felt a happiness and companionship that was so new and joyful to her. How could she risk ruining that with a romantic advance? But Jane was magnetic. She kept getting pulled in more and more.

As they ate Maura decided to pursue the questions she had. "What do you think "Two can play" means Jane? What could Hoyt be referring to? And why take her out to the woods to kill her? This is quite unlike his previous attacks and it's hard not to think there's some broader message he's sending. Sending to you specifically apparently." Maura looked thoughtful, but Jane could still see concern mixed in. Maura being concerned for her was making her feelings mix up. She didn't know what she was feeling actually.

It was some combination of pleasure that Maura cared, mixed with an annoyed feeling like maybe Maura thought she wasn't strong enough to take care of herself. Some part of her wanted Maura to know that there was no one stronger than her. Not Hoyt, not anyone. It mattered what Maura thought of her. Maybe more than anyone else. Jane needed Maura to believe in her strength.

As to what Hoyt's message was though, Jane was pretty certain what that was. He knew. He knew what she was and he wanted to use it somehow to attack her. Well as far as she was concerned, he'd tipped his hand too soon. His urge to play games getting the better of him. If he was smart he would have made her think he didn't know and set a trap for her that she would fall for in her ignorance.

But how had he figured it out? Her mind returned to the night she'd caught him. The only time she'd come into direct contact with him.

Hoyt had kidnapped his latest victim and the city was in an uproar. Korsak was working himself to exhaustion and Jane had only been a detective for a little over a year. It was anticlimax in the end really. Jane found him without much in the way of detective work. She returned to the crime scene at night and let her wolf free. Hoyt's mistake was choosing a house for his base of operations that was near a particularly smelly factory in the industrial part of Boston. She smelled her way right to him.

Once she'd found the house she raced back to retrieve her clothes and car. She got behind the wheel, but hesitated to radio in. How would she explain how she'd located him to Korsak and the others? She sent her mind back through the multitude of interviews of neighbors and potential witnesses remembering one who had seen a car with only one headlight drive by on the night of the attack. She also knew that the car Hoyt had used had a bald tire on the passenger side. Could that help?

She needed more. She entered the crime scene and headed to the master bedroom where she grabbed one of the missing woman's shirts from the closet.

She drove back to Hoyt's place stopping a block away from his house, and cautiously approached on foot. His car was in the drive and there was the bald tire on the rear passenger side. Was the headlight out? Who knew if this was even the car the neighbor had seen, but every bit helped. Jane watched the house from cover. There was a light in the back, but the front rooms were dark and silent. She smoothly slipped over to the front of his car in a crouch, grabbed the headlight on the driver side and pulled it out. A task no normal person could perform, but was easy for her. The metal mounting brackets bent and gave way. It didn't make too much noise. She dumped it in a bush and then went to the rear door of the car and tried the handle. It was open. She placed the wife's shirt on the floor in the back. And was ready.

Returning to the shadows she called Korsak. "Hey Jane, where are you? I tried your place three times. I need to your notes from yesterday." He sounded tired and strained.

"Korsak," Jane said quietly, "Listen to me. I got him. I was looking in newly rented houses down here in the industrial district and I saw a car missing a headlight like the neighbor mentioned. I looked closer and it has a bald passenger tire and in the back seat is an expensive woman's blouse. This is the place and you need to get everyone one here now."

"Holy shit!" Korsak was silent a moment. "You really think it's him?"

"I know it is. I can feel it" Jane gave him the address. "Get a move on."

"Okay, Jane. Sit tight. Don't go in there alone!" he hung up.

Jane sat there staring at the dark, run down house. She should wait, right? But the woman was in there. Hoyt could be hurting her right now. And what would happen when the cops arrived sirens blazing? He might kill her for one last kick. Jane could move so silently. She could find the woman maybe. Hoyt didn't scare her. _Hoyt's the one who should be afraid. _She snarled.

She circled the house from the shadows, no sign of him in any of the downstairs rooms, but she could hear music playing. Good that would cover her entry. She went to the back door which led into the kitchen and after making sure the room was empty grabbed the door knob. It was locked, but she pulled, not too fast and cracked the wooden door frame around the latch. She could have just kicked it in too if noise hadn't been an issue. Now inside the house she could smell many things. Hoyt's stench was strongest, but the missing woman was here too. Not upstairs, so Jane looked for a basement. Where was Hoyt? Asleep upstairs? The woman was the priority. Finding the door down to the basement she was assaulted by a chemical stench. Cleaning agents.

Opening the door the smell was even stronger. Very hard to stand with a nose like hers. The music was coming from down there too. Jane covered her nose as she slowly crept down the steps. She got to the bottom of the stairs and peered around the corner. There was the missing woman bound naked on the floor breathing, but otherwise still. Her next actions were what would annoy Jane to the present day. Her nose hampered by the chemicals and her ears by the radio, Jane should have swept the room before going to the woman, but Jane's protective nature took over and she went to her without seeing that there was another room off the basement and Hoyt was in it. Watching her.

Jane leaned down to unbind the woman when Hoyt struck her from behind on the back of the head with a metal pipe. Jane crashed to the floor and was dazed momentarily. She didn't black out. That would take much more than any man could do, but she was stunned. While she was still regaining her senses, Hoyt returned from wherever he kept his toys and kneeled on her chest. He grabbed her arm laying the hand against the floor and drove a scalpel through her palm. She cried out, starting to figure out where she was when he stabbed her other palm. She screamed again, but now she could see.

She looked up at him with blurry eyes, looking down at her with disgusting fascination. Everything that happened next was sort of hazy to Jane, even to this day. Her anger was uncontainable. At Hoyt, at herself for being stupid. All she could remember for sure was that she ripped her hands up and off of the scalpels, throwing Hoyt off her in the process. She remembered his stunned look as she pounced on him, striking him across the face and then throwing him into a wall.

In the present Jane strained to remember if she had changed at all. Had her teeth come out? Her claws? Something had given her away. The rest was clearer. Backup arriving. Korsak coming down to the basement to find Jane helping the woman and Hoyt unconscious. The media went crazy, her picture on TVs and newspapers across the country. Everyone wanted exclusives about her capture of Charles Hoyt. Her injuries were played up and reporters asked if it was traumatic being nearly captured by the infamous monster. Jane was short with them and uninterested in book deals or TV appearances. None of it was special to her. She'd just done her job, dubious methods or not, and didn't feel particularly traumatized no matter what anyone else thought. Her hands were a sign of stupidity to her, not bravery. She let Korsak act as a shield and eventually things calmed down. She was still asked for interviews every once in awhile and in the years since her reputation had only grown.

Returning her attention to Maura Jane lied "I really don't know what he means. I'm not an expert on his twisted mind. I found him by luck last time."

"Well you need to be careful Jane. Whatever it means, it's obvious he's targeted you now." Maura reached and rested her hand on Jane's arm. "Please, promise me you'll be careful."

Jane smiled wistfully "I'm always careful. That's how I live my whole life." and then she added regretfully, "I can't believe you have to deal with Hoyt when you've been on the job for only a month."

"I'm not." Maura smiled back. "This is the job I wanted and this is exactly what I wanted to be doing. Helping catch monsters and speaking for those who can't speak for themselves. I wouldn't want you to be having to do it without me."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Jane's smile got bigger and the feeling of Maura's hand was so pleasant that her cell ringing cruelly jolted her back to reality.

"Crap, what time is it? I gotta run upstairs."

"And I have extensive autopsies to perform." Maura agreed.

"Okay, I'll be down later." Jane went to say goodbye to her mom.

* * *

It was very late when Maura got home and she was exhausted. Two autopsies including the woman who had been mutilated which took extra time to study. Her wounds were strange. Maura had concluded that a dog was unlikely to have made them. A wolf was more likely, but even then it would have to be a very large one and wolves were not known to be running the streets of Boston.

She fed Bass her tortoise and took a shower. She was toweling off and deciding whether to have a snack before bed when her phone rang. It was Jane's home phone.

"Hey Maura, I didn't wake you did I?"

"No, I only got home 45 minutes ago and I just took a shower." Maura was pleased to hear Jane's deep raspy voice in her ear and she smiled. "What can I do for you Jane?"

"Oh I just probably won't sleep anytime soon. Hoyt left a message on my doorstep and Cavanaugh lost it. He posted cops in my hall." Jane said with irritation.

Maura was speechless, but then found her voice to squeak, "What?! Hoyt was at your apartment? Jane you shouldn't stay there!"

"He doesn't scare me!" Jane said petulantly. "I'm not going to be pushed around." she growled.

"Don't be ridiculous Jane! There's nothing wrong with being cautious. Please, you don't have to face this alone." Maura half pleaded. She couldn't bear the thought of Jane alone with Hoyt hunting her. It was excruciating. "Come over here, I have a spare bedroom that's very comfortable." Maura coaxed.

Jane was silent for several beats, but finally said "Alright. I'll just get my toothbrush." and a wave of relief (and was it pleasure?) washed over Maura.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:**

**Hey everyone. I can't apologize enough for the long wait for this chapter. My life has been a bit crazy this spring/summer and I'm making a major move in the next couple months. That said, my creative energies are flowing again and I really feel positive about this fic and feel like I will be able to update every week or so. I know I've said that in the past so you can believe it or don't but hey, lets think positive! Okay I started this chapter a couple different times and ended up scrapping a lot. I've been looking forward to it and I know a lot of you guys have as well so I wanted it to be good. I think that perfectionism contributed to my lateness and inaction with it and I think in future I'll try to not be so perfect in favor of updating more often. LOL Thanks again for everyone who has stuck with me. I am so serious that the appreciation has blown me away and when I've been writing this I've had more fun than I can say.**

* * *

Maura waited restlessly, sitting on the couch with her hair drying from her shower in a loose gray pullover and exercise pants, trying to find something to distract her in an anthropology journal. She wasn't having much success. Twenty minutes passed feeling like an hour. Finally she heard Jane's car pull up out front and she tossed it aside, standing to greet her at the door Maura unconsciously fluffed up flowers in vases and straightened already straight pictures as she went. Jane had more than a toothbrush with her, a change of clothes in fact, but nothing else. A clear indication that she didn't intend to make her stay with Maura a long one.

"Cavanaugh has this place under surveillance now too." Jane informed her offhandedly as she entered. She look tired and somewhat pallid and Maura crossed to her instinctively.

"What sort of message did Hoyt leave?" Maura asked reaching to touch Jane's shoulder. Resting her hand gently against her Maura could feel that despite her exhaustion and claims to indifference Jane was tense.

"Blood". Jane said pinching the bridge of her nose. "A big slash of the wife's blood across my front door. And then he carved "Fun game Jane" into the door afterwards."

"How do you know it was the wife's blood and not another victim's?"

Jane's eyes widened and she looked nervous and stammered slightly "Well, I, I mean it's most likely the wife's. It could be the husband's I guess. We'll know for sure when the lab's done. I guess the wife was just stuck in my head." She offered finally.

After a slightly awkward pause Maura came back to the situation at hand. "You look very fatigued. Would you like to go straight to the guest room?"

"Yeah, fine. Or uh, maybe I could take a shower? I mean, I didn't remember my shampoo, sorry. Never mind, I'll drive home in the morning and do it before work."

"Jane!" Maura said with mock exasperation. "Of course you can use mine. Don't be silly." Maura laughed. "I have plenty of everything including an amazing body wash full of hydrating oils and fruit acids that you just have to try." She led Jane down the hall to the master bath.

* * *

Jane had spent a good deal of time in Maura's house by now but mostly in the living room, kitchen and guest bathroom. This part of the house was new and very intriguing. The master bathroom was at least twice as big as her own with a shower to match. Warm orange lights gave the place a cozy feel. The room was full of the scents Jane now associated with Maura and it made her rumble with pleasure. She realized she'd done it a bit loudly when Maura glanced up from searching through body washes with a questioning look. Jane felt sheepish but Maura just smiled and returned to sorting through various colorful bottles and jars.

"Ah, here we go." Maura said, selecting an ornate jar full of a creamy white substance. "I get this from Greece." she said handing it to Jane.

"Got anything from Italy?" Jane joked. "Old Rizzoli family traditions used olive oil as a cure all. Even bathed in it probably."

"No, unfortunately." Maura looked thoughtful. "Although there is certainly evidence of olive oil being used as a skin treatment. When used properly..."

Jane held up a hand."I was joking Maura." Jane stopped her before she could get too far into the uses of olive oil and the effectiveness of traditional remedies. "This sounds great." she said peering at the jar of goop.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I know you're tired." Maura looked down and flushed slightly. "Well anyway, this is much better for your skin than that. It will make you feel incredible. And it will help your skin's natural balance."

"So you're saying I'm unbalanced?"

"What? No! Jane, you skin has a ph balance that's very delicate and... and you're making a joke aren't you?" Maura gave Jane a side eye look that stopped the laughter in her throat.

"Yes." Jane looked apologetic turning her best puppy eyes on Maura until she giggled. "Thanks for the goo." Jane was unused to thinking about such things but nevertheless felt calm for the first time all day and smiled at Maura ungaurdedly, holding her gaze.

Maura broke it after a moment and went to a cabinet to get Jane a towel as well as pulling out a robe. "There's shampoo and soap in the shower caddy. Take your time. Would you like anything to eat when you get finished?"

"Oh would I?" Jane said rubbing her stomach. "Maura you're amazing!" Jane laughed. "Anything would be great."

"I'll put together something then." Maura went, closing the door gently.

Jane stripped and adjusted the shower, getting it just right and entered. It was unbelievable. The shower head had multiple settings and Jane tried them all, settling finally on a pulse that massaged her back. The knot of anxiety in her stomach dissolved and the stress in her shoulders started to ease washed away by the warm water and soft orange light. The variety of shampoo and conditioner bottles on the shelves was surprisingly large but Jane enjoyed perusing them, smelling each one. Some she wrinkled her nose at. Others she savored. She could tell fairly quickly which were the ones Maura liked best and she spent longest enjoying those. Realizing she'd spent several minutes just smelling hair care products Jane chuckled, picking her favorite and lathered and rinsed.

Then Jane turned to the body wash and lathered up a wash cloth with it, soaping up herself all over. It smelled musky like flowers and some strange spice. She closed her eyes and saw forests, rain, mossy trees. Safe images filled her mind. Hollow logs, caves. Shadows you could hide in forever. Maura's eyes. Maura's smile. Her touch, smell, laugh. Maura. She was blotting the forest out. Jane shivered, not from cold and a feeling that was not foreign but decidedly rare moved through her abdomen and down lower. A sound somewhere between a growl and a moan escaped her throat as she ran her hands down her arms, sides, across her stomach... A tap on the bathroom door made her jump and she dropped her wash cloth.

"Jane?" Maura called. "I have prepared a selection of cold cuts and cheeses. Or would you prefer something hot?"

Jane was having trouble regaining her voice. Coming down from the place she'd been took effort. She wanted to growl, blood surging through her limbs, beating in her neck and head. She forced her voice to work though it came out thick and raspy.

"That sounds great! Anything's fine!" She called back. "I'll be right out."

She finished rinsing off the soap and stepped out. She toweled off furiously, her body still humming with frustration. These thoughts. She couldn't face them right now. Jane wouldn't let herself think about what she'd nearly done in the shower. What it meant about Maura.

She dressed quickly and headed down the hall toward the kitchen. She rounded the corner and nearly tripped over Bass, Maura's turtle. "Whoa! Son-of-a..!" She caught herself just barely from falling.

"Is everything all right?" Maura came quickly. "Bass! You came to say hi to Jane, did you?" Leaning down to stroke his massive shell. "He's usually more active in the mornings than late at night, she tisked. "Are you all right Jane?"

"Yeah, just a little on edge I guess." _Not for the reason you're thinking though._ Jane thought. Your turtle really surprised me."

"Tortoise Jane." Maura corrected. "I guess he just wondered what all the excitement is." She stroked him some more. "You know Jane don't you Bass? Try not to scare her, okay?"

"Ha ha." Jane said "He's a real monster."

Maura smiled at her laughing softly. Jane had seen Bass before but almost always hidden deep in his shell and immobile. _Might as well have a pet rock. _She'd thought. But now he was looking up at her, was it smugly? Maura returned to the kitchen and Jane kneeled down to look at Bass better. He held her gaze without blinking.

"Listen here," Jane said softly. "You may be the boss normally, but when I'm around I'm the alpha. Got it?"

Bass continued to stare.

"Oh, you think so huh?" Jane growled. "You couldn't protect Maura from a chihuahua!"

Bass lost interest and started slowly turning away. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" Jane hissed.

"Jane?" Maura called from the kitchen. "I thought you were hungry?"

"I'm coming." She gave a dirty look at Bass's retreating shell and made her way to the kitchen. On the counter were platters laid out with sliced cheeses, grapes, pineapple and cold cuts. A bottle of beer and an opener sat beside an empty plate. Jane started salivating from the smells. Lunch had been a long time ago and she'd only had a snack since then. Maura was sipping wine and studying a file from work. Jane couldn't remember ever seeing anyone more beautiful.

"Maura," Jane halfway groaned "have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

* * *

They had eaten, well Jane had done most of that, and talked, somewhat about the case but mostly about safer, easier things for almost an hour. Jane telling stories from childhood. Fights with her brothers, soccer games. Maura listening raptly, loving the image of young Jane getting into trouble as and loving even more the soft deep timbre of her voice made deeper and slower from beer and sleepiness.

They had cleaned up the dishes and moved down the hall and now were in Maura's bedroom relaxed on her bed. They had intended to part ways and sleep but Jane was still finishing her second beer and their conversation had continued, neither one eager to stop.

"So you really never played any sports?" Jane asked incredulously. "Not even in college?"

"I was taking so many courses, that there really wasn't time." Maura chuckled. "And besides, do I seem like the team sports type?"

Jane laughed. "No, I guess not."

They shared a comfortable silence and Jane swigged the last of her beer, casting her eyes around the room. Maura's eyes were drooping when Jane asked "What's that supposed to be?" pointing at a painting over on the far wall.

"It's a Mark Rothko colour-field from 1949. He was at the height of his powers. Isn't it remarkable?"

"Uh, yeah. Nice... colors." Jane sounded nonplussed.

"Rothko was one of the great abstract artists of the mid twentieth century." Maura continued. "I became fascinated with his work in college."

"So you bought that." Jane still sounded unimpressed. "Must have cost a lot."

"Yes, quite a lot but I didn't buy it. My... my lover bought it for me."

"Sounds like a hell of a guy!" Jane laughed lazily.

"The person I'm referring to was a woman, actually." Maura corrected, watching Jane closely to guage her reaction.

"Oh." Jane said simply. "You told me about a guy you were with a few years ago the other night at dinner so I assumed... You go both ways?" Jane asked, not looking at Maura's eyes.

"I find many types of people attractive. I appreciate beauty in many forms. I've never limited myself romantically."

Jane was unreadable. Maura was fed up with dancing around matters. "What about you? Am I mistaken in thinking you like women as well? I've never heard you talk about romantic partners of your own."

Jane hesitated. "I... I've always liked women. It's not really a secret." The beer and also the general happiness of a great shower, a full stomach and a soft bed made it easier to let words out than it usually was.

"Your family knows?" Maura asked.

"Oh yeah, sure. They all know."

"And they don't have a problem with it? I've read that strict Catholic upbringings can be hard on gay children."

Jane laughed deeply. "My upbringing was far from traditional. We were kind of a split off faith. Not the kind of Catholic you would know about." She grinned. "And no, they don't care. I have a lot of gay relatives. My dad's sister, Aunt Gianna, practically raised me in the summers growing up and she had a wife, my Aunt Selena." Jane smiled as she mentioned her Aunts.

"And Angela too?"

"Put it this way, my mom's biggest wish is for some woman to wife me up and keep me safe. Oh, and give her grand babies."

Maura was amazed at Jane's openness after all these weeks of things unsaid. "So what about girlfriends then?" She might as well ask everything she'd been wondering.

The change in Jane's face was noticeable almost instantly. "I've... there was one in high school." Jane looked uncomfortable. "And one at the academy." She added looking away.

"Jane..." Maura was confused, but trying not to scare Jane off. "You're a talented, beautiful, intelligent woman. Why do you shut yourself off from others? I'm certain there are so many women who would love to have a chance to know you."

"I know. I know I'm a catch." Jane smirked, trying to bring some humor in. "It's just never been right."

"It doesn't have to always be perfect." Maura said softly.

"I didn't say perfect. Just right."

Maura. Studied Jane in the soft light. Once again some questions were answered while leaving more unanswered. Would she ever be let fully in?

Jane's eyes were closed and her breathing was slower. Maura kept watching her. _Such exquisite bone structure. Such strength. What is it about you? I don't understand you._

Maura fell asleep herself but was awakened by the bed bouncing as Jane rolled on her side. She was about to try to wake Jane and see if she wanted to move to the guest room when she felt Jane's hand snake through the darkness and slide across her arm, resting lightly on Maura's belly. Maura reached her free hand up to stroke Jane's fingers causing Jane to rumble sleepily.

"Jane? Do you want to move to the other bedroom?" Maura asked softly.

Jane only grunted negatively in reply. Maura found she was pleased not to be left alone and let herself drift off again into a deep happy sleep.

* * *

Despite the strain of the previous days work and her extremely short night's sleep, years of habit caused Maura to awake at her usual time even though she'd neglected to set an alarm. She kept her eyes closed, slowly coming back to herself. She felt warm. Very warm. Even though as she eventually realized, she never had pulled blankets over herself.

Then she felt it. Jane was spooned tight against her, Jane's arm around her middle. Deep slow breaths in Maura's hair from Jane's mouth nestled in behind her ear. Maura didn't think she'd ever awoken more comforted. It felt right in a way she couldn't explain.

Jane twitched and then rumbled in her ear. Instant volcanic heat shot down Maura's stomach to her center and she whimpered. It was excruciating! _Oh fuck! Oh Jane! I can't keep fighting this!_

Maura rolled over although Jane still mostly asleep was unhappy about letting her go. Maura was beyond herself, her rational mind. She needed to touch Jane. She brought her hand to Jane's face, stroking down her cheek. She's wanted to touch these bones for so long. These lips. She ran her thumb over the mouth who's smirk drove her crazy so often. Jane tightened her grip again, pulling Maura fully against her face to face. Only a few tiny inches separated them.

Maura moved her gaze from Jane's mouth and realized with a shock that Jane's eyes were open and watching her through the haze of sleep with what Maura could only call a predatory look. So dark. Her eyes were so dark. Maura felt like she was being swallowed up in them. In Jane's jet black hair. And then she stopped thinking anything as Jane attacked her mouth, a growl rumbling throughout her that vibrated across Maura's body.

Then Jane was on top of her, hands in her hair, on her neck. Jane's mouth so ferocious. But Maura was only overwhelmed for so long before she returned the kisses with equal passion. She had never kissed anyone like this. She had never wanted anyone like this. The more Jane gave, the more she wanted. Jane's long, powerful body was hard against her and Maura pulled her in tighter and tighter. Hands on Jane's hips and then around to her ass. Jane's mouth was on her neck now and she cried out when Jane bit down. The pain mixing with pleasure in a delicious way.

Suddenly everything stopped. Jane pulled back violently with a look Maura could only call fearful on her face.

"Jane..." Maura panted, out of breath "What's wrong?"

"I bit you." Jane sounded horrified. Scared.

"It's okay." Maura reached out. "You didn't hurt me." She tried to touch Jane but Jane was already off the bed and moving. "Jane!" Maura followed after her.

Jane was grabbing her jacket and keys, trying to find her shoes.

"Jane, stop this! Look at me!" Tears and anger battling for dominance inside Maura.

Jane stopped and looked up. Her eyes still so scared that Maura's anger dissipated somewhat.

"Don't walk out that door without talking to me." Maura said. "I have tried and tried to fight these feelings for you over the past six months Jane. I've tried because more than anything in the world, I don't want to lose you as a friend. I've never _had_ a friend like you before Jane!" Maura's tears were now coming steadily.

"But we have something. I can't deny it anymore. Can you?"

"No." Jane said. Eyes down. "I can't." She looked up and Maura could see tears in her eyes too.

"So then what? Why are you so scared? You act like you aren't good enough for me. Or that you think you'll hurt me." Maura stepped closer. "What's hurting me is you walking away."

"Maura...It's not, I don't want... Fuck!" Jane rubbed her eyes "Things for us are just so complicated!"

"Why though?! How can it be that bad?" Maura reached for Jane's arm and Jane didn't pull back.

"It just is. Maura you have no idea. I didn't want to lose you as a friend either. But my life is so different from yours."

"I don't believe that." Maura's gaze was defiant. She reached her hand to Jane's cheek cupping it softly. Jane leaned into the touch. "Just trust me. Tell me what's wrong. Is there some problem for you sexually? Did someone hurt you?"

Jane's reaction startled her. She chuckled "Fat chance. It's not me I'm worried about." She looked arrogant all of the sudden. She shook her head. "Okay. We'll talk. But, let's catch Hoyt. I need to focus. Let's do that and then I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Maura nodded. Jane's eyes were pained, but honest and she returned the look steadily. "Okay Jane. Let's catch him then."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:**

**Thanks for all the lovely responses to the last chapter. You guys are awesome. Jane and Maura came to an understanding of sorts but it obviously isn't going to work out exactly as they hope it will. In response to some comments I've gotten on tumblr and also PMs on here I'd like to make clear once again that this fic is inspired by the Garoul series and the Weres in it are quite a bit different from the ones on True Blood say. A good bit more civilized for one thing. LOL That's not to say they can't be violent and vicious. Also as I've said before, this fic will be rated M at some point not too long from now. Again I really recommend the book series. It's loads of fun.**

**This chapter fills in more backstory which I felt was necessary. I hope you guys like it. I felt that people needed to understand some stuff for the story to keep working.**

* * *

Pulling away from Maura's touch, Jane retrieved her boots and sat to tug them on. Maura stood for a few moments more watching her and gathering herself. Finally stirring to action as well she announced her intention to shower and giving Jane a last meaningful look, turned and headed back down the hall leaving her to brood.

Jane watched Maura's retreating form, feeling knives of guilt stab at her. She hastened to dress and check her phone. Scrolling through several new messages she started towards the door, but stopped guilt still gnawing at her insides and walked back down the hallway. She couldn't just leave without a word. She wouldn't be that person.

She tapped at the bathroom door "Maura?" she called. "I'm leaving. I'll see you at the department, okay?"

After a pause Maura answered. "Alright, Jane. See you there." She sounded distant.

Fresh stabs wracked Jane. She leaned against the door with her forehead. _Damn it, __I never wanted to hurt you._ "I'm sorry Maura. I... really hope you know that."

Again a pause, but shorter this time "I know Jane. I can't pretend I understand, but I will give you time."

_Like I deserve it._ The beginnings of new tears in her eyes Jane said "Okay, well, bye."

Outside Jane checked in with the Officers on watch. Thanking them and telling them to go get breakfast. Walking to her car Jane thought it was a great Idea for her as well.

In her car Jane belted in but didn't start the engine. She leaned back and closed her eyes breathing deeply, trying to think clearly for the first time that day. She'd tried and tried to fight it but it just didn't work. She wanted Maura. Actually "want" was far too weak a term for what she was feeling. She craved Maura. It felt as if nothing on earth would give her peace again except Maura's touch. She could still taste Maura's lips and skin. Maura's scent still covered her, making Jane's senses roil. The ferocity of her feelings scared her, but it was also thrilling. It was so new.

She'd only partly told the truth when Maura had asked about girlfriends. There had been a girl in high school she'd had a puppy love with but even back then Jane wouldn't let anyone get too close. That personal distance combined with her physical absence in the summers put a stop to the relationship before it could even really get going. The academy girlfriend was just a lie. There had been a girl she flirted with a bit but Jane was so focused on becoming a cop and so bad at social interaction that she had moved on fairly quickly. Jane hadn't really noticed her go at the time.

And that was it. Jane was a wolven. She didn't feel deprived. That was the way her people were, even if humans couldn't understand it. Love for family and friends came easily. Wolven were fiercely loyal. Romantic love though, that was much harder to come by. But when it came it would never run out. Her Aunt Gianna explained it to her one summer evening on the porch of her giant old log cabin in the clan valley when Jane was feeling particularly isolated from her brothers and their "normal" lives.

* * *

Jane had graduated high school and was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with herself next. Frankie and Tommy were both old enough to not want to go everywhere with her anymore. They now had plenty of friends to hang out with and so, had stayed home for the summer. A letter from her mom had arrived and in it she filled Jane in on the news from home and her brothers' lives. Frankie had a summer job at the gas station. They both were playing baseball. Oh and they both had new girlfriends. That gave Jane pause. Stacy her crush, had moved on the previous fall and Jane had spent the school year feeling particularly alone. Jane was at a loss though for what she had done wrong or what she could do differently.

She sat absently folding and unfolding the letter, her legs dangling off the edge of the porch, the late golden sunlight setting the leaves ablaze. She watched her cousins showboat and play. Her Aunt Gianna's hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts.

"Is there something sad in the letter?" She asked, looking concerned. "You've seemed quiet a lot this evening."

"Oh, it's nothing." Jane kept her eyes down, struggling to explain her feelings. " It's just, Mom telling me about Frankie and Tommy. They have jobs and friends... and girlfriends." She added finally.

Aunt Gianna was an impressive woman. She was tall, olive skinned and raven haired like all Rizzolis, with a supremely confident way of carrying herself. The subtle hints of grey starting to appear in her long, singly braided hair did nothing to detract from the power she exuded. As Alpha of the pack she seemed to combine the strength of them all inside her. But despite this, she was the calmest, kindest person Jane knew. Nurturing, teaching and caring for her pack's young was a large part of her duties and to Jane she payed special attention. Not only because she was her dead brother's daughter, but also because without him around Jane was very alone and had terrifying powers to manage. She had argued with Angela strongly for a few years after her brother died, trying to convince her to send Jane to live with her. If not year round, then at least for most of it. Angela's stubbornness matched her own though and she refused to part with her daughter. Despite Gianna's fears, Jane had done remarkably well. But there were many things left to teach her.

Gianna lowered herself to sit beside Jane. "And you're feeling left out?" she asked gently. She cast her eyes across the cabins and trees in the late evening sun. Letting Jane answer on her own time.

"Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, all these things normal people do, why can't I do them? Why am I always on the outside?!" It came out of Jane in a rush and she crumpled the letter slightly in her hands.

Gianna reached to touch Jane's hand, stilling her. "We are all outside of some things and inside of others. Don't you think your brothers wish they could share your gifts with you?"

Jane knew her brothers were jealous of her at times although they had gotten better at hiding it. But how could the few things she could do make up for all the stuff she missed out on? "Sure they're jealous sometimes, but they still get to do so many things I never will. Frankie is on his second girlfriend! When will I have that? Even one? There's something wrong with me."

Gianna hugged her around the shoulders. "I'm sorry things have been this way Jane. If things were right your father would have been here to help you through this stuff a few years ago. I try my best to teach you, but I have so many young ones to watch after. I haven't done enough." Grief ghosted over her features as it always did when speaking of her brother.

"No, you've done a great job Auntie." Jane tried to reassure her. "It's just that, I see all these kids at school being sweet on each other and my brothers with girls and even you and Aunt Selena, but I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. Even Tasha and that girl who lives in town across the valley are together. Tasha and her are always with each other. Kissing. Doing... other stuff."

"We talked about it a little bit last summer, didn't we? About the feelings you were getting from looking at girls?"

"Yeah. You said it was normal. Like you and Selena and the others here. I know it's normal for us, but humans, kids at school, say it's gross and wrong. They bully kids for it. For anything that's not normal."

"You realize that it's quite common among regular people too don't you Jane? Even if it's still discriminated against it's far more common than most people will admit. It's much more common for us to be gay it's true, but it doesn't make us unique. That's the least of what makes us different." She laughed deep and Jane couldn't help but smile too.

Jane pressed on, "But why is it so common for us?"

Gianna was thoughtful. "You might as well ask why we are wolven. We just are. Our origins are shrouded in myth and lost to time. We have so few artifacts and books of our history left." She chuckled softly. "I mean, we can't even decide who is the oldest clan. Were the first wolven in Italy? Greece? France? Some say China. No one really knows. There are theories about our gayness of course and I have thought about it some myself, but no definitive answers. The best I've heard is that it keeps us from over-breeding and taking over the world." she grinned wryly. "Of course with today's technology that's no longer a barrier."

Jane listened raptly. She loved listening to her Aunt talk, the deep soothing voice settling her wolf, making her feel safe. Already she felt much better.

"But the real issue is not about finding girls attractive, but when will it become more than that. Correct?" Gianna was serious now.

Jane snapped back to attention. "Yes." she nodded.

"There's no way to know. We don't fall in love easily. Our wolves are very selective. But when you meet a woman who is right you will know it. And then there will be no stopping you. You can fight it if you want, but she will consume you in the end."

Jane was speechless. That wasn't reassuring at all. That sounded like life would take matters out of her hands and how could she accept that? No one told her where her life would go! She found her voice finally. "That can't be right! Auntie how can that be right? You're saying I'll be a... a, slave to chance?!"

"You act like this doesn't happen for everyone eventually. Do you think anyone chooses to fall in love? We wolven fall in love deeply, very deeply, but it's not that different from anyone else."

"But what if I don't want her?" Jane was still reeling.

"I'm saying you will want her. If she's right, you'll know. And until you meet a woman who is, you will never truly be able to feel or connect to romantic love."

"But what if she doesn't want me?" Jane asked. A new worry popping into her head.

"Then you will be in great pain for awhile. Just as anyone would be. But someday hopefully a new woman will come along. Don't think that there's only one woman who would be right for you in this world Jane. There are probably many. Just fewer than for other people." Gianna stroked Jane's hair affectionately. "I know this seems hard but some day you will not think so. And there are benefits too that you are unaware of."

Jane was still troubled, but somewhat mollified. "And what are those?"

"Human love can never compare to ours. Humans fall out of love or lust with each other. They divorce. Once you take a mate and give yourself to her and she to you, you will never stop loving her as intensely as when you first met. And the sex, well, lets just say I've never had bad sex in my life. Nothing less than amazing in fact."

"Auntie!" Jane exclaimed, going red. "I don't want to hear that about Aunt Selena!"

Gianna laughed loudly and gave Jane a playful shove. "Aw, you're old enough to hear it."

Despite her embarrassment Jane's curiosity kept her asking questions."That's you and Aunt Selena, two wolven, but what about if I took a human mate like my dad did?"

"There are many mixed pairs in the clan as we speak and I've known several more in my life including your parents. It's pretty much exactly the same. After accepting each other as mates, our pheromones become attuned with our partner whether wolven or human and the bond is formed. That's why when the pair is broken up like... with your family, it's very painful to whoever is left."

* * *

_I want her._ Jane couldn't avoid the thought. _I love her._ _She's right. She's just right._ _But how do I tell her about me? How can I do it? _Maura was rational almost above all things. How would she handle something as irrational as Jane. Maura's logic didn't apply to her or any of the other things from the woods and the old places. Jane was wrong. She didn't fit in Maura's world just like she didn't fit with the kids in school. She was an outsider. How would Maura ever understand that? Maura was rich, cultured. Maura fit in this world perfectly. Maura could never accept a, a _thing_ like Jane. She'd asked Aunt Gianna how could she ever tell a human what she was and Gianna had just told her to talk to her mom. That was a conversation Jane had never wanted to have. _Well I guess I'll have to face it now._

Jane sat and brooded a bit more realizing she was becoming later for work than she wanted. She started the car and headed for the department, trying to get her thoughts back on catching Hoyt. _Fucking Hoyt and his fucking bad timing. _This new thing with Maura was more than enough on it's own to worry about and now he had to come back.

* * *

From his vantage point in an alley across the way the tall blond haired man watched the unmarked cars drive away and then the Rizzoli bitch several minutes later. _What the fuck took her so long?_ He wondered. His job was simply to watch, follow and report back anything interesting. And he thought he definitely had something interesting. The Rizzoli bitch had someone's scent all over her. Once he figured out whose in particular it was, then he would report back. _Hoyt should be very happy to know it. _He thought.


End file.
